XML - Node to dataset

Declaration

<AMXML ACTIVITY="node_to_dataset" XMLDOCUMENTFROM="text (options)" FILE="text" NEWVALUE="text" DEFAULTNSPREFIX="text" DEFAULTNAMESPACE="text" XPATH="text" RESULTDATASET="text"><ATTRIBUTE NAME="text" VALUE="text" /><NAMESPACE PREFIX="text" URI="text" /></AMXML>

Related Topics  

Description

Retrieves the text value or XPath expression of each node in a document tree or the value of a specific attribute and populates a dataset with the results.

IMPORTANT: The use of Automate Desktop's XML activities requires a fundamental understanding of XML schema and general knowledge of XML-related terms, such as Nodes, XPath, DTD and XSLT.  

Practical usage

Used to gather information regarding node objects or attributes in a document tree.  

Parameters

Resource

Property Type Required Default Markup Description
Resource --- --- --- --- Denotes where the XML data should originate from. This is a visual mode parameter used only during design-time, therefore, contains no properties or markups. The available options are:
  • File - XML data originates from a new or existing file or the specified text. This option is normally selected for shorter tasks that may require only one or two XML related activities to complete.
  • Session (default) - XML data originates from an existing session that was created in a previous step with use of the XML - Create session activity. This option is normally selected for longer, more complex tasks that may require multiple activities. Linking several activities to a single session eliminates redundancy. Additionally, a single task supports simultaneous execution of multiple sessions, improving overall efficiency.
Session Text Yes, if Resource parameter is set to Session XMLSession1 SESSIONNAME="myXMLSession" The name of an existing session in which to associate this activity with. As a safety measure, when a session is created, the XML file bound by that session is saved in memory and the original file is locked. Any modifications by subsequent XML related steps are performed on a copy of the XML data saved to memory. Use the XML - Export or XML - Save activity to output the in-memory representation of the XML session to a file or variable. To end the session, use the XML - End session activity. 
Create XML session from Text (options) Yes, if Resource parameter is set to File Existing file
  • XMLDOCUMENTFROM="existingfile"
  • XMLDOCUMENTFROM="newfile"
  • XMLDOCUMENTFROM="text"
 Specifies where the XML data should derive from. The XML data will be saved into memory. Different parameters become active depending on which option is selected. The available options are:
  • Existing file (default) - The XML data originates from an existing file. This option allows you to browse for an existing XML file to use.
  • New file - Creates a new XML file to use.
  • Text -  The XML data originates from specific text.
File Text Yes, if session created from a new or existing file (Empty) FILE="c:\foldername\file.XML" The path and file name of the new or existing XML file. This parameter is active only if the Create XML session from parameter is set to Existing file or New file.
Overwrite if file exists Yes/No Yes, if XML session derives from a new file No OVERWRITEFILE="YES" If selected, specifies that if an XML file with the same name already exists at the specified location, it will be overwritten with the new file. If disabled (default), the step fails if the file already exists. This parameter is active only if the Create XML session from parameter is set to New file.
Root node name Text Yes, if XML session derives from a new file (Empty) ROOTNODENAME="Fortra" The root node name for new XML file. This parameter is active only if the Create XML session from parameter is set to New file.
Root node value (optional) Text No (Empty) NEWVALUE="Value" The root node value for the new XML file. This parameter is active only if the Create XML session from parameter is set to New file.
Default namespace prefix (optional) Text No (Empty) DEFAULTNSPREFIX="edi" The prefix of the default namespace for the new XML file. A namespace prefix is a text string assigned as an element name prefix to a namespace. When an element name is preceded by the prefix and a colon, then that element is in that assigned namespace. This parameter is active only if the Create XML session from parameter is set to New file.
Default namespace URI (optional) Text No (Empty) DEFAULTNAMESPACE="http://net.com/schema" The default namespace URI for the new XML file. An XML namespace is a collection of element type and attribute names that are uniquely identified by the name of the unique XML namespace of which they are a part. This parameter is active only if the Create XML session from parameter is set to New file.
Text Text Yes, if XML session derives from text (Empty) XMLTEXT="theText" The text that the XML data should originate from. This parameter is active only if the Start XML session from parameter is set to Text.
Attribute Name Text No (Empty) Name="AttribName" The name portion of the attribute name-value pair to insert. Use this parameter to insert attributes into the new node. To enter a new row of values select Click here to add new row. To delete an existing row, click the red "X." This parameter supports insertion of multiple attribute name value pairs.
Attribute Value Text No (Empty) Value="AttribValue" The value portion of the attribute name-value pair to insert. Use this parameter to insert attributes into the new node. To enter a new row of values select Click here to add new row. To delete an existing row, click the red "X." This parameter supports insertion of multiple attribute name value pairs.

Node

Property Type Required Default Markup Description
XPath expression Text Yes (Empty) XPATH="sum(//price/text())" The XPath expression from the current XML document in which to retrieve values from.
Dataset type Text (options) No Text
  • DATASETTYPE="text"
  • DATASETTYPE="attribute"
  • DATASETTYPE="xpath"
 Indicates the type of information to populate the specified dataset with. The available options are:
  • Text (default) - The dataset will be populated with the text value of each node.
  • Attribute - The dataset will be populated withattribute values.
  • XPath - The dataset will be populated with the XPath expression of each node
Create and populate dataset with node information Text Yes (Empty) RESULTDATASET="theDataset" The name of the dataset in which to create and populate with the node or attribute values.

Description

Error Causes

On Error

Example

NOTE:
  • Copy and paste the sample AML code below directly into the Task Builder Steps Panel.
  • To successfully run the sample code, update parameters containing user credentials, files, file paths, or other information specific to the task to match your environment.

Description

This sample task creates a dataset named NodeSet containing XML node values of type AttributeValue at XPath location /bookstore/book. The dataset is then looped and a message box is appears within each iteration displaying the value.

Copy 
<AMXML ACTIVITY="node_to_dataset" SESSION="XmlSession1" XPATH="/bookstore/book" DATASETTYPE="attribute" ATTRNAME="Category" RESULTDATASET="NodeSet" />
<AMLOOP ACTIVITY="dataset" DATASET="NodeSet" />
<AMSHOWDIALOG>%NodeSet.Value%</AMSHOWDIALOG>
<AMLOOP ACTIVITY="end" />